How did the nine-banded armadillo expand its range beyond Texas?

The nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) was first observed in the United States in Texas during the 1800s. Since that time, its range has expanded significantly into several other southern states and farther north into the Midwest.12

This expansion has been facilitated by the animal's ability to travel along rivers and streams. When encountering bodies of water, the nine-banded armadillo can navigate them in two ways: by walking along the bottom while holding its breath or by gulping air into its digestive system to increase its buoyancy and swim across. These adaptations have allowed the species to move into regions as far north as Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois, where they are now spotted year-round.21